Shloka 25

Sukesha's Boon & Twelve Dharmas — Sukesha’s Boon, the Twelve Dharmas of Beings, and the Cosmography of the Seven Dvipas with the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

धनाधिपत्यं भोगानि स्वाध्यायं शकरर्चनम् अहङ्कारमशौण्डीर्यं धर्मो ऽयं गुह्यकेष्विति

Transliteration

dhanādhipatyaṃ bhogāni svādhyāyaṃ śakararcanam ahaṅkāramaśauṇḍīryaṃ dharmo 'yaṃ guhyakeṣviti

Translation

धनाधिपत्यं भोगाः स्वाध्यायः शकरार्चनम्; अहङ्कारोऽशौण्डीर्यं च—धर्मोऽयं गुह्यकेष्विति।

Word by Word

• धनाधिपत्यम्: lordship over wealth; wealth-sovereignty
• धनाधिपत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + आधिपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• भोगानि: enjoyments; pleasures
• भोगानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masc nom/acc pl)

• स्वाध्यायम्: self-study; recitation
• स्वाध्यायम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• शकर-अर्चनम्: worship of Śakara/Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शकर-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकर + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• अहङ्कारम्: egoism; pride
• अहङ्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• अशौण्डीर्यम्: lack of boastfulness; non-bravado
• अशौण्डीर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + शौण्डीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); नञ्-पूर्वक

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• गुह्यकेषु: among the Guhyakas
• गुह्यकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (locative plural)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speakers

• Not stated in the provided excerpt (Vāmana Purāṇa commonly frames teachings as Pulastya → Nārada; confirm from surrounding verses).

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Śakara)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sectarian Harmony
• Shaivism
• Ethics
• Mythic beings (Yakṣa/Guhyaka)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse treats “dharma” descriptively—as the characteristic disposition of a class of beings. Even wealth and enjoyment are framed alongside svādhyāya and Śiva-worship, suggesting that prosperity is not condemned when paired with discipline and devotion; yet it also notes ego as a salient trait, tempered by an injunction-like praise of non-boastfulness.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is not sarga/pratisarga (cosmogony) but aligns best with ancillary purāṇic material supporting dharma/ācāra and variegated characterization within narrative (often grouped under vṛtti-like ethical instruction rather than the five core lakṣaṇas). If forced into the five, it is closest to Vamśānucarita/Manvantara-style didactic characterization embedded in dialogue, not genealogy itself.

What is the symbolic significance?

By making Śiva-worship a defining mark of Guhyakas (Kubera’s sphere), the text normalizes Śaiva devotion across non-human orders, reflecting the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian texture: devotion to Śiva appears as a stable axis of order even within wealth-associated beings.